Domestic appliance



Filed April 24, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' ORNEYS March 16, 1943. J. B. DYER 2,313,928

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

' TORNEYS March 16, 1943. J. B. DYER 2,313,928

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 5 March 16, 1943. J. B. DY ER DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 B .6 INVENTOR.

March 16, 1943.

J. B. DYER DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 16, 1943. J. B. DYER DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 .3 IN VENT OR.

' ATTORNEY 5 March 16, 1943.

J. B. DYER DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24,

I 810p SWITCH m HOT WATER Cow WATER AGITATION SPIN 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 TRIPWATER FILLTUB METERINGVALVE WITH TRIP WATER Ho-r METERmsVALvE WATER v AGITATION ON VARlABLE WASH PERIOD Fms'r SPEED up Pemol) SPIN WAsH WATER \NTO SEWER Cow WATER 0N TRIP WATER TEMPERED METERING VALVE Rmsi l AGITATE Rmsz l Sumo SPsenUP PERIoo SPIN RINSE 1 INTO SEWER TRIPWATER TEMPERED METERNGVALVE Rmsa'z.

THIRD SPIEIEI: UP Pemon SPIN Rmsa 2. 1mm SEWE DRY SPIN CLoTI-IEs WASHER OFF are/(.15

1 N VE NTOR ATTORNEYS March 16, 1943. J. B. DYER 2,313,928

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed April 24, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 l I 355-.i

aayza ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 16, 1943 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE John B. Dyer, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application April 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,594

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to automatic washing machines and centrifugal rinsing and drying machines.

The natural progress of the art dictates an automatic washin machine. From a practical standpoint, simpl city of design and operation dictates a single receptacle type of washing machine. Previous attempts to provide such a type of washing machine developed structures which had bad vibration characteristics under certain conditions causing a lack of durability and reliability as well as other customer objections.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved durable and reliable washing machine of the single receptacle type which is simple in design, neat in appearance, and balanced so as to avoid excessive vibrations under any reasonable conditions.

My improved washer employs a centrifugal rinsing and drying mechanism. 1 have found that such mechanism in disposing of the water in the manner heretofore performed tends to leave suds on the clothes and fails to remove sand and dirt from the receptacle.

It is an object of my invention to so remove water from the centrifugal rinsing and drying mechanism as to prevent contact between the suds'and the clothes in removing water from the receptacle and especially to prevent the deposit of the suds on the clothes.

It is another object of my invention to remove by the water withdrawn from the receptacle, sand, dirt and other particles which tend to remain in suspension in the water.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In. the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation with the casing in section of one form of an automatic washing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertic 'l sectional view of'the mechanism shown in g. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the control mechanism shown on the right side of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the gear case shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the far end of the gear case shown in Fig. '4:

Fig. 6 is a top view of the control mechanism shown in Fig.- 3;

Fig. 7 is'an enlarged sectional view of the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a portion of the spinning and agitating mechanism taken along the line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 shows the stop cam together with the switch mechanism which it controls and the wiring diagram of the washing machine;

Fig. 10 is a view of the cam for the water metering, valve.

Fig. 11 is a view of the cold water control cam;

Fig. 12 is a view of the agitation control cam;

Fig. 13 is a view of the spinning control cam;

Fig. 14 shows the control knobs and shafts as well as the solenoid control for starting and stopping the machine, and for controlling and setting the variable Wash period;

Fig. 15 is a diagram illustrating the actuating periods of the various cams;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the water metering and water tempering valve shown at the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view,of the switch mechanism actuated by the cam in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of the solenoid and manually controlled switch shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9 and shown in elevation in Fig. 14.

Briefly, I have shown an automatic washer which consecutively supplies hot water, agitates, supplies rinsing water, rinses and dries the clothes and finally shuts off automatically. The washer is provided with a balanced tub and floating driving and supporting mechanism. The agitator within the tub is reciprocated vertically by a Scotch yoke drive which is located beneath the tub and drives the agitator through a shaft in axial alignment with the tub. The rinsing and drying of the clothes is performed by spinning the tub through a driving mechanism which is coaxial with the agitator drive and the axis of the tub. The tub is provided with central outlets so that the suds will not be deposited upon the clothes upon removal of the water. The operation of the washer is controlled bycams driven by a step by step timing mechanism which in turn is driven by the main drivingmotor which also furnishes the drive through clutches for the agitating mechanism and the spinning of the tub.

Outer shell Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an outer sheet metal shell 20, closed atthe top by a lid 22, provided with four vertical inner frame members 24, having adjustable gliders 26 at their lower ends. These vertical frame members 24 are held in positon at their lower ends by diagonal frame members 28 and at their mid-portion by arc-shaped frame members 30 which follow the contour of the outer shell 20. The upper ends of the frame members 24 are provided with brackets 32 which support a collecting trough-34 formed on the inside of the in-turned flange at the top of the outer shell 20. The collecting trough 34 is provided with a drain which includes the downwardly extending pipe 36 which connects to the sewer or other form of The main moving parts of the washer are better shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8, and include the main driving motor 50 which is supported by rubber mountings at either end. These mountlogs are provided upon the lower ends of an inverted U-shaped bracket member 52 which in turn is fastened to the arm 54 of a main casting 56 which includes a portion forming a crankcase 58. The main driving motor 50 has its shaft connected by a flexible coupling 60 to a. clutch shaft 62 supported by the bearings 64 and 66 which are provided in opposite sides of the crankcase 58.

The agitator drive mechanism The clutch shaft 62 (Fig. 7 is provided with a spinning clutch 68 for spinning the tub and a clutch 10 which connects the clutch shaft 62 to a pinion 12 which in turn drives a larger gear I4 keyed to one end of the shaft I6. The shaft I6 is rotatably mounted in a double bearing sleeve 18 which in turn is fixed within a bearing support 80 and held in position by a set screw 82. The sleeve I8 is provided with a shoulder at the end nearest the gear I4 which engages the adjacent end of the bearing support 80 in order to properly locate the sleeve 18.

The shaft I6 at the end opposite the gear I4 is provided with a heavy metal disc 84 having a crankpin 86 which extends into the piston shaped slide member 88 of a Scotch yoke drive mechanism. The slide member 88 is received within a cylindrical member 90 formed. with a slot 92 for receiving the crankpin 86. This cylindrical member 90 is connected to the lower end of agitator shaft 94. The crankcase 58 is pro vided with a cover plate 203 by which the sleeve I8 may be withdrawn from the bearing support 80 after loosening th set screw 82 in order to remove drive pin 86 from the Scotch yoke drive. This will allow access to the agitator rod 94 which is made possible by the'closure plate 205.

In order to permit the agitator shaft 94 to rotate, it is provided with a bearing member 96 at its lower end which is rotatively mounted in a recess provided in the top of the cylindrical member 90 by a flanged plate 98. The member 96 may be welded or otherwise fastened to the bottom of the agitator shaft 94 and is free to rotate within the recess beneath the flanged opening of the plate 98. The agitator shaft 94 extends vertically upwardly and its upper end is connected to a cone-shaped agitator I02 which is located within the tub I04. The agitator shaft 94 is hollow and is provided at its upper end with a stud upon which is threaded a clamping nut I06 for clamping the agitator hub I'I8 to the top of the shaft 94. The agitator I02 i threaded onto its hub I18 and has a sheet metal cap I08 providing a smooth crown for the top of the agitator I02 which covers the clamping nut I06. The agitator is somewhat in the form of a thimble and has a metal flange H0 at its lower end to which is riveted a heavy rubber flange I I2.

When the driving motor 50 operates and the clutch I0 is engaged, the pinion I2 will drive th gear I4 to revolve the crankpin 86 of the Scotch yoke drive mechanism for reciprocating the agitator shaft 94 at the rate of several hundred times a minute. This agitation provides excellent washing of the clothes in the tub I04. The clothes have very little contact with the agitator or the sides and bottom of the tub so that the clothes are subjected to little wear and tear during the washing operation. For the washing operation the tub is fllled to a level about the bottom of the cap I08. The construction of the clutch mechanism is better shown in Fig. '7.

The clutches The clutches 68 and I0 are connected to the clutch shaft 62 by a tapered pin II4 which connects the sleeve II6 to the clutch shaft 62. Riveted to each end of the sleeve II6 are the cup-shaped driving members H8 and I20 which slidingly support the notched multiple disc driving plates I22 and I24 of the spinning and agitating clutches 68 and I0. The driven plates of the spinning clutch 68 are designated by the reference character I26 and are provided with teethed apertures receiving the splined sleeve I28 which is rotatably mounted upon the clutch 62 and is provided with the spinning helical gear I30 for spinning the tub.

When the spinning clutch is engaged as shown in Fig. '7, the driving and driven plates I22 and I26 are held together by a spring I32 which imposes a limited amount of tension upon the clutch plates So as to permit a slipping of the clutch at the start of the spinning operation in order to prevent too great a strain upon the driving mechanism or driving motor. This spring I32 is adjusted by the adjusting and lock nuts I34 which are threaded onto the sleeve I28. The agitating clutch I0 is also provided with driven clutch plates I36 provided with teeth engaging the splined end of the sleeve I38 which carries the agitator pinion I2. The sleeve I 28 is provided with a flange for holding the agitator pinion I2 in place and the clutch spring I40 extends between the agitator pinion 12 and the clutch throw-out member I42 which is adapted to retract the spring I40 from the clutch plates I24 and I36 of the agitator clutch I0.

When the clutch throw-out member I42 so retracts the spring I 40, the clutch I0 is disengaged; The clutch throw-out member I42 is fastened to and supported by the clutch operating rod I44 which also carries the clutch throwout member I 46 located between the clutch spring I32 and the clutch plates I22 and I26 of the spinning clutch 68. When the clutch rod I44 is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. '7, the clutch throw-out member I42 retracts the clutch spring I40 to disengage the agitator clutch I0 and the agitator drive from the clutch shaft 62. In this position, however, the spinning clutch spring I32 is permitted to exert its limited tension upon the clutch plates of the spinning clutch 68 so that the helical gear I30 which spins the tub is connected through the clutch plates to the clutch shaft 62.

The spinning mechanism The helical gear I30 meshes at right angles with a helical gear I50 mounted upon the lower end of a sleeve I52 which surrounds the agitator shaft 94. This sleeve I52 is supported by ball bearings I54 and I56 which in turn are supported by a cylindrical-shaped member I58 provided with a flange I59, by which it is fastened to the main casting 58.

The sleeve -I52 is connected to the agitator rod 94 by a pin I60 which extends through a slot in the agitator rod 94 so as to permit the agitator rod 94 to reciprocate independently of the sleeve I52 and to cause the rod 94 to rotate with the sleeve I52. The upper end of the sleeve I52 is provided with a flange to which is bolted a flanged tapered member I6I which extends upwardly into a recess formed in the bottom of the tub and is provided with a ball-shaped upper end portion. Resting on this ball-shaped upper end portion is a ball-shaped hard rubber washer I62 upon which rests a socket portion I64 cf the bottom casting I66 of the tub I04. This socket portion I64 is provided with a pair of -screws I68 which have projections formed on their ends entering into slots I provided in the ball-shaped portion at the upper end of the member I60. The projecting portions of the screws I68 provide the driving engagement between the member I60 and the bottom I66 of the tub I04. The screws I68 also hold the hard rubber washer I62 in the socket I64 of the bottom I66 of the tub I04.

In orderto seal the upper end of the member I6I as well as the agitator shaft 94 there is provided a bellows type seal, member I12 of properly compounded rubber or some other rubber-like material such as Duprene" or "Neoprene. The lower end of the seal member I12 is provided with a heavy ring which is held between the hard rubber member I62 and the flange of the socket portion I64. The upper end of the seal member I12 is also provided with a ring portion I14 which is clamped between a metal ring I16 which fits tightly upon a Water and suds disposal I have found in most forms of devices of this type that'when clothes are dried by spinning, the suds are deposited upon the clothes and thus a thorough rinsing is not accomplished. I have found by constructing and draining the tub in the manner disclosed herein that this deposit of suds may be avoided. My method of accomplishing this is to cause the removal of the water from the central portion of the tub while the tub is being spun. I find that under such conditions the clothes remain against the outer side of the tub while the water bearing the suds remains and is drawn from the central portion of the tub, since the suds are lighter than the water or the clothes. For doing this I provide an angular insert I80 in the bottom of the tub which is provided with a number of comparatively large holes arranged in a circle about midway between the rim and the center of the tub and provide the major outlet from the tub. These holes, designated by the reference character I82, may

' be of any suitable number and size such as 24 reduced portionof the agitator shaft 94 and an agitator mounting member I18 which also fits upon the reduced upper end portion of the agitator shaft 94 and is held in place by the nut I06. The agitator I02 together with its cap I08 form an assembly which is threaded onto the member I18 after the assembly of the washing machine. The bottom I66 of the tub I04 is formed of a heavy cast metal, such as cast iron, zinc or brass and has a conical upwardly extending portion which surrounds the member I60 and is located within the confines of the agitator so that the ball and socket connection may be placed at the proper point so as to provide an inherent static balance of the tub in order that the spinning of the tub may be started without serious vibration. The bottom of the tub is weighted around the rim in such a fashion that no matter how an ordinary quantity of clothes is distributed within the tub, the tub will assume a position so as to compensate for any unbalance.

three-eighths inch holes.

Beneath the insert I80 there is provided a passage I84 through which water flows to four sets of passages I86 which extend through the edge of the bottom I66 and connect to a recess I88 formed at the bottom of each of the four vertical risers I90 which are fastened upon the outs de of the sheet metal side wall I92 of the tub I04 at four evenly spaced positions. The side wall I92 and the riser I 90 are fastened to the bottom I66 of the tub by the screws I94 and this joint is sealed by a suitable gasket. The side walls I92 are tapered inwardly as they extend upwardly from the top of the bottom member I66. This taper is preferably at an angle of from '1 to 10 degrees. A few small holes I96 are provided through the side walls I92 at the bot tom of the tapered portion and located at four different portions of the wall so that they commun cate directly with the passage provided by each of the risers I90. These holes are quite small and have a much smaller capacity than the holes 82 and I 86. These smaller holes are provided for removing the small portion of the water which cannot readily be removed through the outlets I82 after the major portion of the water has been'removed.

The water is drawn through the outlets I62 and I86 and up the risers I90 by centrifugal force since the risers I90 are tapered outwardly and have a spout which overhangs the collecting trough 84. These passages form a centrifugal pump which rapidly expels the water from the tub into the trough from which it flows down through the pipe 36 to the drain. This method Floating support The flange I60 is provided with arms I96 which are connected to links I98'which in turn connect to the lower ends of the supporting rods 38 provided with rubber mountings 20I above and below the links I98. This provides a floating mounting for the tub and its driving mechanism so that during the spinning operation the entire mass can rotate about its center of gravity with considerable freedom.

Automatic control mechanism The operation of the washer is controlled by a cam mechanism which is driven from the clutch shaft 62 by a pulley 291 mounted upon the outer end of the clutch shaft 62. This drive ulley 201 through a belt, drives a large pulley 299 which is mounted upon the outer end of a worm shaft 2 extending from the gear case 2i3, best shown in Fig. 4. This gear case includes the mechanism for driving five cams, which control the water metering valve, the cold water valve, the agitation mechanism, the spinning mechanism and the stopping of the washer. The worm shaft 2 H is provided with a worm 2i5 whithin the gear case 2l3 which drives a worm gear 2i1.which in turn is provided with a drive pin 219 connecting the worm gear 211 to a link 22!. The link 22I is pivotally connected to a triangular plate 223 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 225 and is located beneath all the gearing and plates shown on the shaft 225. This triangular plate 223 is provided with a pawl 221 which rests upon its upper surface, and through a spring 229 is held in engagement with the teeth of a gear 23| located directly on top of the triangular plate 223.

The rotation of the worm gear 2i1 causes the link 22! to reciprocate the triangular-shaped member 223 to cause the pawl 221 to engage the teeth of the gear 23I to advance it one or more teeth during each oscillation. teeth which is picked up and advancedby the pawl 221 is controlled by a fan-shaped member 233 which is pivoted upon shaft 225 and has a downward y turned flange covering the teeth of the gear 23!. When the fan shaped member 233 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the pawl 221 will ride over the turned down flange of this fanshaped member 233 and thus the number of teeth picked up by the pawl 221 during each oscillation is controlled. When the fan-shaped member 233 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 it will limit the pawl 221 to advancing one tooth for each oscillation. It should be noted that this fan-shaped member 233 is provided with a projection 235 which engages a pin 231 to limit the movement of the fan-shaped member 233 in a clockwise direction. When the fan-shaped member is moved in a counter-clockwise direction from the stop pin 231, it permits the pawl 221 to pick more than one tooth per oscillation. In orderto hold the fan-shaped member 233 in other positions, there is provided a latch means including a double arm member 239 pivoted upon. a pin 2 and provided with a torsion coil spring 243 which holds the lower arm 245 with its pointed end portion in one of the holes provided in the flange of the fan-shaped member 233.

As shown, the arm 245 is in the hole limiting the pawl to the picking of one tooth per oscillation. A second hole 241 is provided which, when notched with the arm 245, permits the pawl to pick two teeth per oscillation; a third hole 249 is provided which, when notched with the arm 245, permits the pawl 221 to pick three teeth per oscillation. Finally a fourth hole 25l is provided which, when notched with the arm The number of.

245, permits the pawl 22'! to pick four teeth per oscillation.

This fan-shaped member 233 is formed integrally with the collar 253 which is fastened by a pin to the shaft 225. This shaft 225'with the fan-shaped member 233 is adapted to be rotated by an inner knob 255 provided upon the top of the washerand is provided with a shaft which connects to the upper end of the shaft 225 by a tongue and slot connection. Through this inner knob 255, shown in Figs. 1 and 14, the speed at which the cams are driven is controlled. The fan-shaped member 2331s urged with its projection 235 against the stop pin 231 by a flat spring 251 which engages at its outer end a turned-up projection from the fan-shaped member 233. This flat spring 251 continues around the far side of the collar 253 and then extends into engagement with the teeth of a pinion 259 and thereby serves as a spring detent for the pinion 259 so as to prevent too free a rotation of this pinion.

The gear 23I is not in mesh with any gear but between it and the fan-shaped member 233 it carries a one tooth gear 26l having a single tooth which is adapted to mesh once each revolution of the gear 23I with the pinion 263. The pinion 263 meshes with the upper gear 265 fastened to a sleeve 261 surrounding the shaft 225. This sleeve 261 like the shaft 225 projects upwardly through the lid 269 of the gear case 2l3 and has fastened thereon the cams 309, 3), 3i i, M2 and 3l3 which correspond in order to the cams shown in Figs. 9 to 13. Thus thi mechanism provides for a slow rotation of the cams which is varied in speed by the position of the knob 255, the shaft 225 and the fan-shaped member 233 which determines the number of teeth picked at each oscillation by the pawl 221.

However, it is only desired to provide this variation in speed during the first washing or agitating period and in order to accommodate this I provide means for returning the fan-shaped member 233 to the slow speed position at the end of the first agitating period. In order to do this a three tooth gear 21l is fastened to the sleeve 291 along with and directly beneath the gear 265. This three tooth gear 21I has a downwardly turned projection 213 which is adapted to engage the upper arm 215 of the two arm member 239 so as to lift the pointed end of the lower arm 245 out of any one of the notches in the flange of the fan-shaped member 233 which will allow the fan-shaped member 233 to turn in a clockwise direction under the influence of the fiat spring 251 to move the projection 235 against the stop pin 231. This will insure the remaining portion of the washing operation to be controlled by the cams operating at the slow speed.

The electrical circuit Referring now to Figs. 9 to 15, and more paricularly to Fig. 9, there is shown a wiring diagram which includes the driving motor 50 connected to the supply conductor 3l5 and by a conductor 3" to an electromagnetic and manual switch 3l9 which in turn connects to the other supply conductor 32I. The electromagnetic switch 3l9 has a manual operating button 323 and a solenoid holding means 325. A coil spring, located between the solenoid 325 and the switch contact bar 3I9, normally keeps the switch 3l9 in an open position. When the switch M9 i in the open position the solenoid 325 is deposition. against the adjustable stop 313. This energized, since it is connected in series with the switch 3I3. However, when the button 323 is depressed the contacts 3J9 close the circuit not only to the driving motor 50 but also to the solenoid 325, which thereafter holds the contacts 3| 3 in closed position as long as it is energized. The solenoid 325 is connected by conductor 321 to a switch 329 which is normally closed by a compression type coil spring 33I. The switch 329 is formed as a part of a cam follower 333 which is acted upon by the cam 309 when the sleeve 261 has made one complete revolution, and thus has completed all the advance necessary for a complete washing. When the cam 3|3 engages the follower 333 the switch 329 is opened to deenergize the solenoid 325 to cause the solenoid 325 to release the switch contacts 3|9 to open both the motor and the solenoid circuit thu completely deenergizing the washer.

The water control The cam 3|0 controls the admission of water into the tub. This cam 3I0 is provided with projections 3I0a, 3I0b, 3l0e and 3|0d. These projections are adapted to engage a valve stem head 3l0e provided upon the end of the valve stem of a control valve 3| provided in the water metering valve mechanism generally designated by the reference character 335. This water metering valve 335 includes a cold water inlet pipe 331, the hot water inlet pipe 339, a valve casing 34| providing a mixing chamber 343. This mixing chamber 343 includes a bimetal thermostat 345 which operates a butterfly valve 341. This valve 341 controls the fiow of water Which passes through the cold water valve 349 from the cold water inlet pipe 331. the cold water valve 349 is kept closed. only hot water will be supplied to the washer even though the butterfly valve 341 opens under the influence of the bi-metal 345.

The mixing chamber 343 is connected by a valve opening 35| with a discharge chamber 353 connecting to the outlet connection 355 of the metering valve 335. As shown in Fig. 1, this valve outlet connection 355 is connected by piping 351 to a nozzle 359 extending over the rim of the tub I04 in order to discharge water into the tub. The valve controlv passage 35I of the metering valve 335 is adapted to be closed by a cone-shaped valve member 36I which is fastened to a diaphragm 363 of properly compounded rubber or other rubber-like material such as Duprene or Neoprene.

The valve member 36I is provided with a restricted passage 365 extending to the other side of the diaphragm 363. The control valve '3I0f opens into the diaphragm chamber 361. When the valve 3)! is kept closed by its valve spring 3|0g the water will flow through the passage 365 into the diaphragm chamber 361 and will permit the diaphragm 363 to be moved into engagement with the flanged valve seat opening to prevent the flow of water to the tub I04. However, to start the washing period the cam projection 3|0b (see Figs. 3 and 6) first comes into engagement with the follower 3I0k which acts upon the head 3l0e to open the valve 3I0f and to permit the water to be discharged from the diaphragm chamber 361 through the open valve 3I0f t0 the outlet 3| Oh and the pipe 3I0q to the drain pipe 36. This permits the diaphragm 363 to be moved under the pressure of the water in the mixing chamber 343 to a When I chamber 361 must. be filled by the water flowing through the passage 365, before the valve opening 35! can be closed. g

The tripping of the valve 3I0f by the cam 3I0 is indicated in the second column in Fig. 15. The black part indicates the tripping which is performed by the cam projection 3|0a and the shaded part indicates the time that the water flows through the valve. At the end of this first interval of time the agitation begins as shown in the fourth column and at the same time the second cam projection 3I0b briefly engages and opens the valve 3I0,f to allow another charge of water indicated by a black and a shaded portion in the second column. Both charges are of hot water since the cold water valve 349 has not been opened.

The cam 3II engages a cam follower 3| Ilc which pivots on the pin 315 to engage the valve head 3| Ie which is threaded upon the end of the valve stem 3| If of the cold water valve 349. This is shown in the third column of Fig. 15. The valve head 3I|e holds a compression type coil spring 3| Ig which normally holds the cold water valve 349 in closed position.

The agitation and spinning control The agitator cam 3|2 has a long cam projectoin 3I2a providing the first agitation period shown in the fourth column of the chart Fig. 15, This cam 3I2 operates upon the arm 3I2lc provided with a roller follower 3I2m which engages the cam face of the cam 3I2. This arm 3| 2k is provided with a pin 3l2n which engages a' slot in a connecting member 3I2p threaded onto the outer end of a clutch control shaft I44. when the high part of the cam 3I2a engages the roller follower 3|2m the clutch control shaft I44 is pushed inwardly causing an engagement of the agitator clutch 10 to cause the agitator I02 to be, reciprocated vertically by the pinion 12, the gear 14 and the Scotch yoke construction at the bottom of the agitator shaft 94. This will continue as long as the roller follower engages the high part of 3I2a of the agitator cam 3I2. The spinning cam 3i 3 operates against roller follower 3I3m provided upon the end of the arm 3I3Ic which is formed as a part of a double arm with the arm 3I2k, both of which move in unison about the pivot pin 315. Thus it is necessary that the cam follower 3I3 be upon a low portion of its cam 3I3 when the roller follower 3I2m is upon the high portion of its cam and vice versa.

The speed-u mechanism I have found with an ordinary constant speed drive for the cams that there'is too long an interval between agitation and the spinning operation. Therefore in order to reduce this interval '1 have provided a special speed-up mechanism for speeding up the rotation of the gear 265 and the sleeve 261 as well as the cams at the time it is desired to change from agitation to spinning.

will come into mesh with the pinion 259 and when the single tooth of the single tooth gear 26I meshes with the-pinion 259 it will provide an additional movement of one or more teeth for the gear 265 which rotates with the three tooth g'ear 2II. speed-up for the cams at the three periods determined by the location of the three teeth. In order to prevent too great amount of rotation of the cams during this speed-up period I have provided a spring detent 266 for the gear 265 which engages the teeth of the gear 265 to prevent excessive movement but this detent will not prevent ordinary movement of the gear 265 by either the single tooth gear 26I or the three tooth gear 21 I The spinning mechanism When the roller follower 3I3m engages the high portion 3I3a of its cam it pulls the clutch control shaft I44 outwardly through the medium of the arm 3I2k,the pin 3I2n and theconnecting member 3I2p in order to cause the release of the agitator clutch 310 and the engagement of the spinning clutch 68. The tension of the clutch spring of the spinning clutch 68 is such that it will allow considerable slippage before the helical gear I30 will begin to turn and rotate the helical gear I50 and the tub I04. This will prevent too great a strain'upon the motor and the mechanism which rotates the tub I04. The universal type of suspension for the tub I04 will prevent vibration during the accelerating period and after the tub gets up to speed the floating support provided by the rods 36 will allow the mechanism to rotate about its center of gravity and thereby will prevent destructive vibration. The spinning or rotation of the tub will then cause the flow of water out of the tub through the holes I82 and the risers I90 into the collecting trough 34 and the drain pipe 36. Thus in this way, after the clothes have been agitated or washed, this wash water is removed from the tub by this spinning operation.

The rinsing and drying operations While the spinning operation is still in progress, the cold water cam 3I I will have its high portion 3IIa come into contactwith its cam follower 3I IR: and this cam follower 3I Ilc will depress the cold water valve head 3I lo and will cause water to flow into the mixing chamber 343 of the valve 335 under the control of the thermostat 345 and the butterfly valve 341" as shown in the third column of Fig. 15. No water, however, will flow into the tub until the cam projection 3I0c will operate the cam follower 3I0k to depress the valve head 3I0c of the control valve 3I0f to cause a measured amount of water to flow into the tub as indicated in the second column of Fig. 15. At this time the roller follower 3I3m leaves the high portion 3I3a of the spinning cam 3I3 thus stopping the spinning of the tub. Thereafter a measured amount of water ilows into the tub and then cam projection 3I2b will engage the roller follower 3I3m to cause the provide an agitating rinsing period as shown in the fourth column of Fig. 15.

Following this agitating period the second tooth Thus this mechanism constitutes acam projection 3I0d will trip the water metering valve M] to permit another measured amount of water to flow into the tub and after this interval of time the cam projection 3I2c will cause the engagement of the agitating clutch 212 to cause an agitating period.

Following this third agitating period, which is measured by the length of the projection 3l2c, the agitator clutch will be released and the third tooth upon the three tooth gear 2' will provide the third speed-up periodl This will cause the'cam projection 3I3c to cause the engagement of the spinning clutch 69 to provide the long spinning period indicated in the fifth column of Fig. which will spin the second rinse water into the sewer and will completely dry the clothes by prolonging the spinning. When the roller follower 3I3m reaches the end of the cam projection 3c, the cam 300 will have its projection 3080 engagement of the agitator clutch 10 in order to operate the follower 333 to open the switch contacts 329 thereby deenergizing the solenoid and allowing the opening of the contacts 3I9.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein described, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A washing machine including a receptacle, a centrally located supporting means extending upwardly from beneath the receptacle, means for inherently balancing said receptacle including a universal type connection between said supporting means and said receptacle, said connection having its pivot point above the lower half of said receptacle, an agitator within said receptacle, means for operating said agitator including connecting means extending within said supporting means and connecting to said agitator, and means for rotating said supporting means and said receptacle.

2. A washing machine including a receptacle, a centrally located supporting means extending upwardly from beneath the receptacle, means for inherently balancing said receptacle including a universal type connection between said supporting means and said receptacle, said connection having its pivot point above the lower half of said receptacle,-an agitator within said receptacle, means for operating said agitator including connecting means extending within said supporting means and connecting to said agitator, and means including locking means for simultaneously rotating said supporting means, said receptacle and said agitator.

3. A washing machine including a receptacle, a centrally located supporting means extending upwardly from beneath the receptacle, means for inherently balancing said receptacle including a universal type connection between said supporting means and said receptacle, said connection having its pivot point above the lower half of said receptacle, an-agitator within said receptacle, means for operating said agitator including connecting means extending within said supporting means and connecting to said agitator, said operating means including means for reciprocating said agitator in a vertical direction, and means for rotating said receptacle.

' 4. A washing machine including a receptacle, a rotatable sleeve below said receptacle, a universal type'connection between said receptacle and sleeve centrally located in said receptacle, a vertically reciprocable rod inside said sleeve and universal type connection and extending into said basket, independent driving means below said receptacle for said sleeve and rod and a vertically reciprocable tubular agitator in said receptacle secured to said rod and spaced around said universal type connection.

5. A washing machine including a receptacle, a rotatable sleeve below said receptacle, a universal type connection between said receptacle and sleeve, a vertically reciprocable rod inside said sleeve and universal type connection and extending into said basket, means to cause said rod to rotate with said sleeve, and a tubular vertically reciprocable agitator in said receptacle secured to said rod and horizontally surrounding said universal type connection.

6. A washing machine including a receptacle having an upstanding central hub, a rotatable sleeve below said receptacle extending into said hub, a universal type connection between said receptacle and sleeve near the top of said hub, a vertically reciprocable rod inside said sleeve and universal type connection and extending into said basket, a vertically reciprocable tubular agitator in said receptacle secured to said rod, and surrounding said hub and spaced sufiiciently therefrom to permit said tub to tilt on said universal type connection.

JOHN B. DYER. 

